Yankees

Girardi On Tanaka’s Rough Patch: ‘He’s Not Going To Be Perfect’

July 9, 2014 7:16 AM

Masahiro Tanaka sits in the dugout after leaving the game during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on July 8, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

“It happens,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “We know he’s not going to be perfect, we understand that. We know how good he’s been but we know he’s not going to be perfect. Every pitcher goes through that. If it goes for a long period of time I think you become concerned, but every pitcher goes through it.”

Tanaka struck out five and walked one, but was hurt by the home run ball, a recent trend for the right-hander.

“I think it had a lot to do with my command,” Tanaka said through a translator. “A lot of my pitches were going right down the middle.”

Nick Swisher hit a go-ahead two-run shot in the sixth, while Michael Brantley hit a solo homer in the seventh.

Tanaka has allowed at least one home run in six of his last seven starts after yielding none in his previous five outings. Since June 5, he has given up eight homers.

“I’ve felt throughout the season at times that I wasn’t able to perform the way that I really wanted to,” Tanaka said. “I just have to go out there and battle and try to be at my best.”

Girardi said it just wasn’t Tanaka’s night.

“You move on to the next start,” Girardi said.

Swisher, who homered on a 1-2 pitch, knew the Indians would have a tough time against Tanaka.

“It was the first time we’ve ever seen him,” he said. “The first couple of at-bats you’re kind of feeling him out. In that situation from the scouting reports and video we’ve seen, he loves that split-slider. When I got in that two-strike count, he’d been burying that split all day long. For me, I was just lucky enough for him to hang that one.”

Brantley, a first-time All-Star, also had RBI doubles in the first and fifth, raising his average to .328.

“He’s a really good player,” Girardi said. “He’s a young player that’s really developed into one of the better outfielders in the game all-around, and he showed why tonight. It’s why he’s an All-Star.”

Trevor Bauer (3-4) allowed three runs in seven innings and retired 13 of the last 14 hitters he faced. New York’s only baserunner in that stretch came on Swisher’s fifth-inning error. Bauer struck out six and walked two in winning for the first time since June 16.

“He got ahead in the count,” Girardi said. “I thought he pitched well with his fastball and his curveball. He’s got really good stuff.”

Cody Allen pitched the ninth for his 10th save.

The Yankees were held to four hits, none after Brian McCann’s one-out single in the third.

The Indians committed three errors, giving them a major league-high 75 for the season.

Swisher heard boos from the crowd earlier in the game after going 0 for 2 and having a routine groundball go through his legs.

Tanaka allowed a run in a 25-pitch first inning and gave up two hits in the second. He retired seven straight before allowing a run in the fifth when Brantley had a two-out double after Chris Dickerson led off with a single.

“I didn’t feel that bad going out on the mound,” Tanaka said. “I did feel my fastball was a bit better than last time.”

New York scored twice in the first on Mark Teixeira’s RBI single and a throwing error by catcher Yan Gomes. Brett Gardner added a run-scoring groundout in the second.

Gardner walked to start the game and moved to second on Jacoby Ellsbury’s single. Dickerson attempted a diving catch of Teixeira’s bloop hit, but the ball deflected off his glove and rolled toward center, allowing Gardner to score.

New York pulled a double steal when McCann struck out swinging. Gomes’ throw to second went into center field and Ellsbury scored. Teixeira’s stolen base was his first of the season.

NOTES: RHP Brandon McCarthy (3-10) will make his Yankees debut Wednesday night. He was acquired from Arizona on Sunday. “It’s the Yankees,” he said. “It’s a team that’s in contention. It’s a team that’s known for winning, there’s really no other answer than it’s just the Yankees.” … Yankees OF Carlos Beltran (soreness behind right knee) was out of the lineup for the second straight game. … Girardi said RHP Shane Greene, who recorded his first major league win Monday, will start Saturday against Baltimore. … RHP Josh Tomlin (5-6) starts for the Indians on Wednesday.